1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to packs adapted to be mounted at the handlebar portion of a bicycle and supports therefor, and more particularly to a bicycle pack and support system in which resilient spring clip members are employed to positively secure the pack to the support while providing for ready detachment of the pack from the support, and, preferably, maintaining the pack in an open or spread configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various handlebar packs and supports have been available in the trade for some time. While early supports utilized strap members which encircled the bicycle handlebars and thus attached the pack, more recently heavy wire supports which engage the intersection of the gooseneck and handlebar and extend forward therefrom have been utilized. Typically, such supports extend first outward, and then diverge into horizontal forked members, or are bent downward and outward to provide a support under the pack.
Typical of the related art pack and support arrangements are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,955,728, 4,056,219 and 4,066,196. Particularly in the latter two patents, which disclose wire supports of the preferred type, the pack is attached to the support to limit forward movement by means of Velcro fasteners. Such Velcro material has been almost universally utilized as fasteners in such pack and support arrangements. While this has been convenient and workable, it is also true that the Velcro material tends to loosen incrementally upon repeated jolts which stress the material encircling the support. Accordingly, the bag has not been as securely supported as desired. Movement of the bag relative to the support and particularly upon the forked members in the preferred embodiments, has resulted.
The slow loosening of the Velcro attachment means has been found in most embodiments of such supports, including those in which resilient fasteners extend between the bag and/or support, and, for instance, the front axle area of the bicycle, or the adjacent fork neck area of the bicycle. Particularly in view of the "hard" ride afforded by most bicycle with high pressure tires and little compliance in the frame or wheels, the loosening of the handlebar pack as a result of such jolts can be annoying in that the weight of the pack tends to move relative to the bicycle. Even a minor shifting of weight in such manner is somewhat discomforting to the rider.
Also, while the forked support holds the pack open in one direction, the pack has been free to slide along the forked members and thus has not been maintained open in the direction parallel to the forked members.